Aberdeen - St Nicholas Church

The biggest parish church in Scotland is St Nicholas in Back Wynd, but it is better known as East and West Churches as during the Reformation it was divided into two separate chapels.

The West Church, which was built between 1741 and 1755 in Renaissance style under the direction of the church architect James Gribbs, contains four wall tapestries and some fine wooden carvings dating from the 17th century, while, beneath the East Church, badly damaged by fire in the 19th century, lies an old crypt, St Mary's Chapel (ca. 1420). During the 17th century it was used as a prison for women thought to be witches. St John's Chapel, part of which originated in the 12th century, is now dedicated to the oil industry.